About this vendor
Add a wow factor to your wedding event with Karl Knutson Boutique Entertainment. Owner Karl is a master at all things music and loves combining the live music and DJ elements at weddings and events making them truly unique experiences!
Karl Knutson Boutique Entertainment brings the bounce to every big celebration. Apart from being a dazzling DJ, Karl is also a trained vocalist, and he's more than happy to show off his riffs and runs at your reception or cocktail party with the help of a live band. He's also well-versed in various musical styles and genres. From sweet, soulful jazz to the rhythm and rhyme of rock, there's something for every nearlywed to enjoy.
Through detailed consultations, DJ Karl Knutson gets a solid idea of the hits you love to hear and helps you create the perfect party playlist. You and your partner also have access to budget-friendly packages you can tailor to your needs. Top it all off with Karl's fabulous photo booth service, and you and your guests are in for life-long memories.
Details
Business Attributes
- Veteran-owned Business
Equipment
- Audio/Visual Equipment
- Sound Equipment
Music Genres
- Arabic
- Bluegrass
- Bollywood
- Celtic
- Classical
- Country
Music Services
- MC Services
- Recorded Music
- Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
- Ceremony
- Reception
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
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5
out of 5.069 reviews
Review photos
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Having been a fan of Karl's beautiful singing for years, as soon as I booked a venue I reached out to Karl. He sang during our cocktail hour, to rave reviews from the guests, and ...
then did a quick change of clothes to become our DJ for the night (like Superman!). After we contributed our guests favorites (as indicated when they rsvp'd on the website) and adding our own "must haves", Karl produced a set that had people up and dancing from the very first song. A beautiful blend of current and past hits, songs that were popular when we were in college and even a traditional British tune that brought out our international guests. There were guests dancing right to the last minute of the reception (and a few minutes beyond). Karl kept our guests engaged with the right amount of banter and encouragement. We couldn't have been happier with the way everyone participated, and we're still getting compliments!
We couldn’t have asked for a better DJ than Karl for our wedding day! One of our very close friends worked with Karl for their wedding so we thought we would inquire for ours as we...
ll. From the first conversation to the last song of the night, he was professional, enthusiastic, and incredibly talented. Karl truly knows how to read a crowd and kept the energy high from start to finish.
The music selection was perfect! Karl seamlessly blended our favorite songs with crowd-pleasing hits that had everyone, from kids to grandparents, out on the dance floor all night long. He even nailed the timing for special moments like our first dance and speeches, making everything feel smooth and effortless. Karl listened to our requests, helped guide us through the process, and made sure everything was exactly how we envisioned it. He played the Pokémon theme song for our Best Man, was very flexible when we threw some changes his way, and even had an emo music break which was a total hit!
Having live musicians during our cocktail hour was a huge crowd pleaser as well! Our most requested song was, oddly enough, “The Wheels On The Bus” and they sang a fun jazz rendition of it.
Thanks to Karl, our wedding reception was an unforgettable celebration filled with joy and amazing music. We can’t recommend him highly enough to anyone looking for a DJ who is both professional and personable. Karl will make your special day even more incredible!
We booked Karl for our May 2025 wedding at Mistwood and had the BEST experience! From the moment we booked Karl, he was so communicative and took the time to understand what 'vibes...
' we were looking for throughout the night of our wedding. He kicked off the night singing during our cocktail hour with a pianist, and then became our DJ! All of our guests talked about how cool it was that he does both and does both so well! When Karl switched over to being our DJ/MC, he exuded the best energy and all of our guests felt it!! He does a great job of reading the room and pivoting where need be. He played songs during cocktail hour and are reception that perfectly fit the vibe we were looking for. When it came to dancing, he picked the BEST SONGS! Everyone was on the dance floor all night- he played banger after banger and our guests couldn't get enough of it! I truly did not want the night to end, and Karl's services were a huge reason!! I could not recommend Karl enough! Book him!!
We used Karl Knuston Boutique Entertainment for our wedding in 2023. We used the DJ, the live band and light setup for our wedding. We feel that for the price we paid it was well w...
orth it. I. Mean we had a live band for our cocktail hour, that was just amazing.
Now my husband and I may not have been the easiest to work with since we did select our entire playlist. We did allow him to add some songs as he saw fit but he did pretty much stick to our playlist as much as he could.
The only thing is I wished we would have communicated a little bit more about what songs should be played at certain times. Because we were very involved with the music selections, it probably made it a little more difficult for him to know what song should be played and when. We almost had a few mistakes but because we were communicating up until the last minute things were avoided.
The guest did enjoy the live band renditions of popular songs.
We were very pleased.
Karl was amazing to work with! He was easy to communicate with and helped our wedding day run seamlessly. He was a huge hit with our friends and family from his performance at happ...
y hour, through the rest of the night MC-ing and DJ-ing.
Cannot recommend Karl enough!! He DJd our wedding at Arrowhead in September 2024. He had everyone of ALL ages out on the dance floor the whole night. He was a great MC - funny too....
Also, last minute we added his VOX package where he sang into a crooner microphone during our cocktail hour. If you are thinking about adding this, do it. Our guests thought it was the coolest thing! Absolutely loved when he started singing "Feeling Good" before the bridal party intros. Karl has a beautiful voice.
Karl is a party you shouldn't sleep on! Attentive, easy to work with, great singer, and a fun time.
Karl came as a recommended vendor by our venue and now we know why! His unique approach with the crooning during cocktail hour combined with a more traditional DJ during the recep...
tion was top notch. My husband and I have a very diverse taste in music and were a little worried about some of the more obscure songs we requested. Karl didn't even bat an eye! We cannot recommend him enough! Thank you Karl for helping us celebrate!
From the moment we first met Karl, we knew our wedding music was in the best hands. Karl was incredibly professional, enthusiastic, and attentive to our needs. He is very responsiv...
e, and never takes longer than 24 hours (usually less than an hour) to get back to us. He helped us coordinate a string duet for the ceremony, his entire jazz band for cocktail hour, dj-ing for the reception, and our Photo Booth.
Karl took the time to understand our musical preferences and helped us craft the perfect playlist that resonated with both us and our guests.
On the big day, Karl exceeded all expectations. The setup was seamless, and he made sure to keep the dance floor PACKED. Karl had a fantastic ability to read the crowd and adjust the music to keep everyone in high spirits. At one point he could tell I was stressed, and he paused to understand what was going on and how he could help.
Beyond the exceptional music, Karl's warm personality and dedication made the whole experience even more special. It was clear that he genuinely cared about making our wedding day perfect.
We couldn’t have asked for a better vendor in making our wedding day truly unforgettable. Thank you, Karl, for making our celebration so incredible! We will forever recommend Karl for any wedding or special event, he truly is the full package!! If you're reading this and still trying to decide between DJs, just go with Karl!
Karl was amazing. He was recommended by our venue and I couldn't be more thankful we went with him. Very communicative and easy to work with. Kept everyone on the dance floor all n...
ight. Multiple people told me it was the most fun wedding they had been to!
Karl is awesome! He did such a fantastic job coordinating all our music and sound needs for both the ceremony and reception. We wanted live music for the ceremony and were in need ...
of a pianist. Karl was able to connect us with a fantastic musician. He helped us coordinate all of the equipment needed and it sounded amazing. My partner is a jazz musician, so having his jazz group for our cocktail hour was perfect! They played an awesome mix of standards and pop/rock covers. They also invited my maid of honor up to sing with them! Music for the reception went off without a hitch, including a few karaoke moments Karl helped us coordinate. All our guests commented on how fun the mix of dance music was. Truly can't recommend Karl highly enough for a fantastic wedding day party!
And if in doubt, add the mirror ball.
Karl was AMAZING! He was so helpful during the planning process and really captured our style and what we envisioned for our wedding. My guests LOVED his singing during the cocktai...
l hour, and the songs he sang were great - a jazzy No Diggity?! It was awesome. For the dancing part of our reception, he played all of our favorite party songs for all ages. So many of my guests said, "this is the first wedding I have been to where the dance floor was full and grooving the entire time!" Looking at Karl's instagram is what reeled us in, so if you are thinking about booking him, look at the awesome videos he posts and you will be convinced! Thank you Karl for everything - best DJ around!!
We used Karl to sing our cocktail hour and then DJ for the night for our wedding and he was amazing! He was so friendly and understanding and made sure everything was exactly what ...
we wanted. He also offered advice when needed to make sure everything ran smoothly with timing. He played GREAT songs and had everyone dancing all night long, which was so important to us. We are still getting compliments on how great he was at both singing and DJing and we are so, so happy that we had him. We highly recommend Karl for any event!!
My wedding was perfect and I owe a lot of that to Karl! For my husband and I, we wanted to have details in the day that reflected us as individuals and as a couple, but our main go...
al was to keep it guest focused and throw an awesome party. I think we did just that! We received so many compliments on our wedding, many stating it was one of the best they've attended, some saying it set a new bar, and ALL saying our DJ was amazing! Karl is not just a DJ, but an entertainer. He knows how to read a crowd and keep the energy high. We upgraded his services to include singing during our cocktail hour which was such a treat for us and our guests. My husband and I did a first look and all photos beforehand just to ensure we didn't miss a thing and we are so happy we did that. Leading up to the wedding, I was getting anxious about my song choices and some details and just one simple conversation with Karl made me feel so much more comfortable and confident. He accommodated all of our song choices and executed them flawless! FIVE STARS, WOULD RECOMMEND!
Karl did an amazing job with our wedding reception, (10/21/23)! He was readily available for preplanning and adapted to our requests and vision as they changed along the way. We d...
id the "Vox package" where he sang during the cocktail hour. As guests entered the reception area and went through the receiving line Karl was set up right before they entered the dining/bar area. Our family and friends were blown away to find it was a live performance going on! He made a smooth transition to MC/DJ mode for the call to dinner and our grand entrance. There was a last minute hiccup on my part, bridal brain, and he handled it very professionally. He also worked very well with our other vendors and wedding planner in following along with the dinner schedule and "special moments" through out the evening. He checked in frequently with the VIPs of the night and read the room very, very well. Our guests can't stop talking about what a great time they had. We highly recommend hiring him for any event you want to make extra special!
Karl is INCREDIBLE! There is no other way to describe his professionalism and work as the musician and DJ. From the very beginning, he was so communicative and answered all of our ...
questions. He sang live music at our cocktail hour AND our first dance song and it was amazing. Our guests are still talking about it!!! For the DJ part of the night, he outdid himself! We directed our guests as needed and was very fun yet professional on the mic. I gave him song suggestions and he ran with it making it the best dance floor for people of all ages all night long. We cannot thank you enough Karl! Wish we could do it all again. Highly highly recommend!
Karl was incredible! We wanted a dj, but wanted someone who was personable and could offer something a little different, and that was Karl. He was full of surprises all night! He p...
atiently answered all of my questions during our first chat and then throughout the months of planning. He kept the dance floor going all night with something for everyone. Everyone loved him! I had so many people asking how I found him and have inquired to me about booking them for their wedding. Thank you Karl. You’re the best!
As soon as we spoke to Karl, we knew he would be a great entertainer for our wedding day. Throughout the entire process, Karl was extremely responsive and attentive to our requests...
and questions. It was amazing to have Karl as our wedding DJ but it was also so special that we were able to add on live music for cocktail hour. Karl is super talented and has an amazing voice! He kept our day flowing with classic and timeless music that everyone in attendance could enjoy! Absolutely would recommend Karl to anyone!!
We just celebrated my daughter and new son-in-law's wedding! We chose Karl as our entertainer. He came highly recommended to us by our venue. After looking at his website, we felt...
his personality/style would be a perfect fit our event. In addition to providing the ceremony music, and being the DJ for the dancing portion of the wedding, we chose to have Karl and his pianist play music during cocktail hour (so glad we did this)! He is extremely personable, professional, and talented. He continually communicated with us and always wanted to make sure he took care of any of our concerns. Karl definitely kept the crowd on the dance floor! Such a fun night! He is top-notch!
Karl did an awesome job on our wedding from start to finish. The ceremony music flowed seamlessly, his singing during cocktail hour made us seem way cooler and classier than we are...
, and he kept the reception moving at an excellent pace with lots of dancing! We were so pleased and would recommend him to anyone!
Karl is AMAZING! Great to work with, fun personality! His live singing and DJ skills are incredible and my guests had a blast. Highly recommend!
I will never stop talking about Karl!! Our wedding was a perfect blend of classy, entertaining, and an absolute party. We had Karl sing solo for cocktail hour, and the guests were ...
so impressed!! He kept our dance floor packed ALL NIGHT! Ever since our wedding, people are constantly telling us that it was the best party they’ve ever been to. Karl was professional, kind, and really listened to what we wanted to ensure our day was exactly as we dreamed it. He became a part of our friend group for the night! I will forever recommend Karl to anyone who gets married!!!
KARL! He is the absolute best! I was referred to him by a friend for my wedding and he was better than I could imagine! We had his small band during cocktail hour & him Dj during t...
he reception. EVERYONE from 19-87 years old was dancing all night. He was also an amazing MC, conducting the night to make it seamless. If you want a reliable musician that gets all crowds going… hire Karl.
If you’re looking for a DJ who can keep the dance floor alive, sing, and be available for any question or concern you have leading up to your big day, look no further than Karl. He...
was an amazing part of our day and I truly can’t say enough good things about him. He cared about our vision for our big day, and provided expert advice & insight when needed. We never had a dull moment on the dance floor. Karl played music through the decades that kept all of our guests happy, and was a fantastic emcee that kept our night moving smoothly. Everyone we talk to tells us how amazing our DJ was! I would highly recommend Karl for DJ, band, and emcee needs!!
Karl was an absolutely amazing part of our wedding day. We had some rain which meant our strings were unable to preform a prelude and postlude, but Karl was ready to go with some m...
usic so our guests still had something to listen to. The reception was fun and upbeat, and he made sure to play all the songs that were special to us. We booked him because he was also the DJ for my sisters wedding, and now our family wants to book him for every wedding in the future! I cannot recommend him enough!
Karl was nothing short of amazing when it came to providing the music for our wedding from the ceremony, to cocktail hour, + the reception. Karl was communicative, collaborative, a...
nd responsive to all our vision + wants for our wedding. The guests at our wedding raved about Karl's voice at cocktail hour, and LOVED the music for dancing after dinner. Karl truly had every single person on the dance floor, and kept the party alive and going the whole night. Guests have already inquired about Band or DJ for their own events and weddings! BOOK HIM- YOU'LL BE AMAZED.
Karl was amazing! He was able to connect us with a keyboardist to play at our ceremony. Would also highly recommend that he sing at your cocktail hour. He also kept the dance floor...
filled! We only gave him 3 must plays and he was able to create an entire set that we loved. Our friends and family say it is one of the most fun weddings they've ever attended.
Thank you soooo much Karl for saving the day for my daughter's wedding! Our original DJ retired last minute with no notice so I was in a time crunch to find a new DJ. The first pe...
rson i thought of was Karl. He sang with a pianist during cocktail hour then reception time he was DJ extraordinaire! We are former classmates so I've seen his videos on his Facebook page and he didn't disappoint! I had so many people at the wedding asking me where I found him, and that he is awesome! He kept the dance floor full all night long! He also had a photo booth that everyone had a lot of fun with too. I would highly recommend him for any of your events.
Karl was an absolute dream to work with! He is so funny and personable! He made the DJ planning process so easy! We hired Karl for the Signature package (piano, upright bass, and d...
rums) for cocktail hour, DJ during dinner and dancing, and ceremony sound. Our guests LOVED the band! Karl is an amazing emcee and fellow Illini! He threw in so many Illini references throughout the evening. Karl kept the dance floor grooving the entire night and totally nailed our request of “90s house party vibes meets Country Thunder”! Karl made our day even more magical with his charisma. We will recommend Karl forever and ever!
Karl was absolutely amazing!! From singing during cocktail hour to introductions and beyond - he was so much fun! We truly could not have asked for a better person to hype up our w...
edding. Thank you so much!!
Karl was beyond professional in all of our interactions. He provided an amazing entertainment experience for our guests!
Karl was absolutely amazing at our wedding! He sings beautifully! Our guests were amazed that it was actually him singing. His niche of singer and DJ is the perfect combination of ...
2 styles of wedding. Who says you have to choose?! Besides his entertainment, he was very organized and moved us through the schedule of the wedding with ease. Karl was able to make minor adjustments on the fly for a completely seamless night.
BOOK. KARL. NOW. Literally everyone at our wedding talked about how good Karl was and they grabbed plenty of business cards from him throughout the night. He helped us through pick...
ing songs for the special moments, brought all the energy throughout the night, sang during our cocktail hour and took the house down, and accommodated our request for Karaoke during dancing which was the biggest hit. Best DJ you can snag in the Chicagoland area trust us. Just do it and know you won't be disappointed.
We hired Karl for our winter wonderland wedding reception and he did not disappoint!! The jazz trio at cocktail hour was amazing and I would 100% recommend going that route because...
our guests loved it! Karl made everything fun and easy which is a big plus for us. He kept everyone dancing all night and he was by far the best wedding DJ I’ve ever seen! Definitely would recommend!!
Wow! Karl made our wedding reception dreams come true. He is capable of keeping the dance floor full the entire night and that is exactly what he did! Before the night was even ove...
r I had friends and family asking for his contact info for their own weddings! I hope to run into Karl at all those weddings because it’s sure to be the best time!
Karl was PHENOMENAL! He made the entire night a party from start to finish, and the dance floor was always full. The live cocktail hour music was a great bonus and super convenient...
. We received so many rave reviews about him from our friends and family (seriously, people were petitioning for him to join us at the afterparty), and we would absolutely recommend him for any wedding or event.
Karl did an absolutely amazing job for our wedding. His musicians and voice during cocktail hour were incredible. It set the perfect tone to the rest of the reception. We had so ma...
ny guests asking for his contact information for future events! He set up the best wedding entrance I've ever seen, my husband and I still get chills remembering that moment! Everyone was up dancing all night and he perfectly choose the music to fit our vision. You NEED to book him for your wedding!!
Karl and his company are the total package. From our first conversation my husband and I knew we waned to book Karl. Karl was very easy to get ahold of and answered every question ...
with grace. He was even available 48 hours before the wedding to calm my nerves - he had everything covered and was there to ease the "pre wedding anxiety" Karl's voice is AMAZING and adds that extra special touch to our wedding. My family and friends cannot stop talking about Karl - You will not be disappointed. BOOK TODAY!
Karl weas great at asking what we wanted, confirming we were on the same page, and keeping the dance floor packed.
I highly recommend him.
Karl is the absolute man! From playing live during cocktail hour to mixing during the reception, Karl kept the party going all night long. He listened to our music preferences, and...
made sure everything was perfect. Karl is by far the best and most fun DJ we have ever seen at any wedding, and we cant thank him enough. You would be crazy not to hire him for your wedding, and if you do, make sure you have him do some live singing as well. His voice is something special!
“Wow” is the word that comes to mind when describing how wonderful our experience was with Karl. We had to postpone our wedding due to the pandemic like many other couples. Karl wo...
rked with us so well, was organized, had great communication and made our wedding night an absolute fairytale. From the band playing during cocktail hour to Karl keeping our guests on the dance floor all night long made for smiles we haven’t seen on our family and friend’s faces for a long time in light of the pandemic. I would highly recommend Karl for any event if you’re looking to have a great time, dance the night away and make memories.
Guests have not stop raving about how Karl handled the music . From the microphones to the processional music to start the wedding was very well thought of. Karl took care of the m...
usic for the cocktail hour where the guests were entertained by a 4 piece band. Being the mother of the groom I didn’t really hear the music because we were taking pictures. At the reception itself the music and the professionalism of Karl
was exceptional. Did I tell you that he has an awesome voice too! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Karl to anyone who needs the services of a top notch DJ.
Karl is incredibly talented and will set the perfect mood for your wedding or event. We have had him out to the Farm numerous times for weddings & events and he is such a pleasure ...
to work with! His professionalism is top-notch and he brings a fun atmosphere to the whole process. You will not be disappointed!
We booked Karl for our wedding at Danada House. We were intrigued by Karl when we saw his “Band or DJ, why choose?” tag line. We were 100% sold on Karl being the right choice immed...
iately after our first conversation with him.
Leading up to the wedding Karl was professional and organized while also staying his laid back self. Any question or concern was answered and solved with a quick phone call or text. He was so responsive to what we wanted to do to make our big day a dream come true.
We chose the package where Karl sang live during cocktail hour. The guests raved about the performance! Our older guests swooned over the crooner style and our younger guests loved the way he put a twist on the modern hits. When we transitioned to the reception, Karl become DJ extraordinaire! He kept the dance floor FULL for the entire reception. Karl has an amazing ability to read a crowd and know what is going to keep all guests happy.
We also chose to add on the photo booth option - DO IT! We will cherish these photos forever because it’s all of our guests having a great time and being their fun, goofy selves. There was rarely a moment the photo booth wasn’t in use.
Thank you Karl for making our wedding day one that we and our guests will never forget!
We loved loved Karl as our DJ! He sang during our cocktail hour and his voice is INCREDIBLE! My nephew was entranced with his voice and songs, and Karl made him feel extra special!...
He helped start the party off super well, and everything went so smoothly! We added on a self-service photo booth that was so much fun!
Wow - Karl + his musical friends. You absolutely killed it for our wedding!! We could have never imagined such incredible music from the start of our wedding day to the very end. K...
arl came early in the day to do a sound check in our two story venue and let me say when I heard music bumping from the second floor while sitting in the first floor bridal suite I knew our dance party would come alive that evening. Through Karl we had a ceremony piano player, the full band for cocktail hour, sax + tracks for dinner, and best of all, Karl and his amazing music for our reception dance party. Adam + I along with our guests never stopped dancing, my bridesmaids were wiping me down with cocktail napkins I was so sweaty from dancing. Although we provided Karl a little guidance on songs he absolutely crushed the playlist and listened to exactly what we wanted and more! I cannot recommend Karl enough and have non stop been reminiscing over how amazing he made our big day. He is incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and a master at all musical aspects for a wedding. A bonus - his mobile photo booth was an absolute hit with our guests! The perfect way to snap laid back candid moments. He will absolutely be a highly recommended vendor to any of our friends + family getting married. I am already trying to brainstorm any life events I can hire him again for!
Best DJ ever!! I 100% highly recommend you book him ASAP! He sang during my cocktail hour and sounded amazing. He interacted with my guests and got them excited for speeches, dance...
s etc and most importantly he kept the dance floor full the entire night!! 5 star performance!
We loved our experience with Karl! He made our wedding unforgettable. We chose his three person band for our cocktail hour and it was PERFECT! Our guests kept commenting on how muc...
h they enjoyed the live music. If there is one thing I highly recommend... it's getting the live music/band. It was such a hit!! This piece made Karl stand out from all the other DJs. He also was hyping up the bridal party during pictures. He played the best pump up music for us as we transitioned from ceremony to reception. He is very attentive, wanting to know exactly what kind of music you like and what you want played on your day. His questionnaire really helped focus on songs that are an absolute “must” and an absolute "no" to play during the reception. He not only is a great MC, but he has an amazing voice of his own. He kept us and our guests happy the entire evening. He was very easy to get a hold of and had the fastest response times. He was so knowledgeable and helpful in organizing the flow of the evening, choosing the order and timing of certain songs. He ran the entire event once we stepped into the ballroom and did so effortlessly. We loved our experience with Karl and would highly recommend!
Karl went above and beyond his duties and blew our DJ/band expectations out of the water. He is responsive, diligent and pays attention to little details. He also has an incredible...
singing and speaking voice! You can tell he truly enjoys every second of what he does. If you don’t book him you’re missing out!!!
Karl was the DJ for our wedding last weekend. Throughout the planning process he was extremely accommodating and helpful. He sang live during our cocktail hour which was a huge hit...
. Our guests were on the dance floor the entire night with a mix of music that kept everyone’s interest. I highly recommend him for all your events!!
Contact
Chicagoland Area
Karl Knutson Boutique Entertainment - Band or DJ?